A huge bather flocked with euros, speakers pushed to their limits for more than a thousand people gathered on the Place d'Armes… The Manif pour tous was once again a real success, this Sunday in Versailles.
However, the rain invited itself to this meeting labeled “Marchons Enfants!
”(Which notably includes the Manif pour tous and Alliance Vita), against the bioethics bill, presented for second reading in the Senate from February 2 to 4.
Far from the songs, we stayed outside the barriers, close to passers-by, sometimes admiring, sometimes dumbfounded.
Divergent opinions
“I have 9 children, and 41 grandchildren, I understand the demonstrators, loose Denis, 71, a longtime Versaillais.
"I am for it to continue," hammers this retiree.
"I'm completely against it," replies Evelyne, 72, a few meters away.
I am even surprised that there are so many people protesting against this in our time.
"
Jean-Claude, 86 years old, answers him in a few words: “I am for, abortion is a crime!
"" It is lamentable, plague Loïc, a 19-year-old student.
The arguments of these people are unfounded, they magnify everything.
At his side, Émeline, 20, goes further.
“The Senate will vote on this bill and I completely agree with this idea.
"
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At the heart of the conflict, the recognition of the filiation of children born of surrogacy (surrogacy) abroad or the extension of medically assisted procreation (PMA) to all women.
"They want to protect the foundations of the family"
In Versailles, the gatherings are so frequent that a question has emerged: do they mar the image of the city?
"It depends on the position of each, estimates Cyrille, 36 years old.
Me, I join the demonstrators on the bottom.
Some see it as a nationalist or even far-right movement.
This is misunderstanding the problem.
What you have to see is that they want to protect the foundations of the family and traditional values.
The landmarks of our society are escaping today.
"
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Émeline and Loïc nevertheless express, in their heart, an opposite point of view: “These demonstrations clearly give a bad image of Versailles.
The concern is that we are in a very Christian and very rich city.
But you have to live with the times.
"It does not change the image of the city, says Bernard, 56 years old.
I do not agree with the demonstrators but I am in favor of demonstrating.
It is a right.
"
"It's disenchantment, it's distressing"
Further on, walkers who came from Île-de-France to admire Versailles are appalled.
“I don't have the words,” Lison, 26, says sadly.
In addition, that it is in front of the Palace of Versailles… I do not endorse it.
"Same feeling for Baptiste and Nisrine, 19, a couple who traveled especially" to redo a photo of a few years ago.
When you arrive and fall on it, it's disenchantment, it's distressing.
We have clichés about the Versaillais… It reinforces them, with this conservative side.
Versailles is the city of culture.
And in these moments, it's just the opposite.
"